Computer monitor vs tv + remote viewing

Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
11
Reaction score
6
BTW ... a bit of a fork, but also found out using UI3 that can use a cheap (well $100) 8" new Amazon Echo show, call up it's silk browser, and bam ... there are the cameras from BI ... also can zoom to full screen using the BI bottom right function. All in all a pretty cool mini access point for $100. Well under what we spend to do a full touchscreen pc viewing station.
 

concord

Getting comfortable
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
663
Reaction score
739
BTW ... a bit of a fork, but also found out using UI3 that can use a cheap (well $100) 8" new Amazon Echo show, call up it's silk browser, and bam ... there are the cameras from BI ... also can zoom to full screen using the BI bottom right function. All in all a pretty cool mini access point for $100. Well under what we spend to do a full touchscreen pc viewing station.
Can you run the Echo Show without internet access?
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
11
Reaction score
6
Can you run the Echo Show without internet access?
I don't think so .... as it uses a call-back to the internet to do the voice recognition, so to bring up the silk browser is done via voice. And after a bit it would go back to the home page, so even if you had it on for a bit think it would be problematic.

BTW another cool app is to load the amcrest alexa skill .. then it can pop open an amcrest doorbell camera view with easy automation.
 

Griswalduk

Known around here
Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
2,043
Location
Uk
I don't think so .... as it uses a call-back to the internet to do the voice recognition, so to bring up the silk browser is done via voice. And after a bit it would go back to the home page, so even if you had it on for a bit think it would be problematic.

BTW another cool app is to load the amcrest alexa skill .. then it can pop open an amcrest doorbell camera view with easy automation.
I'm just after reading there's a new larger echo show out next week. Link below

 

TonyR

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Messages
16,445
Reaction score
38,162
Location
Alabama
FWIW, I unplugged 2 Echo Dots in 2020 when, after neither myself or my wife had done any searches online of a specific and unusual topic and that we had discussed that topic verbally only between ourselves......shortly after (like by the next day) when I opened amazon to browse my account / order status page, I received popup suggestions that clearly suggested items that my wife and I discussed privately! :idk:
 

Griswalduk

Known around here
Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
2,043
Location
Uk
Hi TonyR I don't doubt it.

If I'm honest I'm not a fan of the microphone on the fire stick remote either. Never used it never will.

I regularly use a fire Hd tablet though. Typing on 1 right now lol
 

CCTVCam

Known around here
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
2,660
Reaction score
3,480
I tried downloading the demo version of BI last night to my main and accessing from my tv but something is wrong somewhere.

The page just hangs and remains white with downloading the image. I'm guessing it's in the settings or maybe the firewall is interfering. Wondering if maybe I have networking pc to pc blocked. The TV is definately viewable in my network but it diagram in the router and I have internet access, but won't connect to the pc. I tied entering the IP addres as both: 192.168.x.x and 192.168.x.x:X (where X is the port), but no joy. So presumably something wrong in the settings of either BI or router.
 

Mike A.

Known around here
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
3,825
Reaction score
6,377
I'm just after reading there's a new larger echo show out next week. Link below
Don't know about the new one but the lag on my 5" Show is kind of bad. I have mine set up so that it displays cams based on event triggers. When the mailman comes to the door every day, by the time that it comes up and shows that cam he's already long gone. Some of that (maybe 5-10%) is related to processing the trigger but mostly it's getting the Show to pull up and display. That is, even if I call for the cam directly using "Alexa, show front door" from the time she says "OK" it takes about 10 full seconds to display. Doesn't sound like that long, but practically it is. Also while watching the cam as it's being displayed there's probably about another 10-20 second delay in what's shown vs what's happening in real time.

Not useless but not real great either. I have it on my desk and it (eventually) pops up so it's OK for knowing when I have a delivery and things like that. Maybe the new one might be faster if it has a better processor. Not sure that I'd buy one for that purpose unless I knew that it was significantly better. UI3 on a tablet is MUCH faster.
 

Griswalduk

Known around here
Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
2,043
Location
Uk
Don't know about the new one but the lag on my 5" Show is kind of bad. I have mine set up so that it displays cams based on event triggers. When the mailman comes to the door every day, by the time that it comes up and shows that cam he's already long gone. Some of that (maybe 5-10%) is related to processing the trigger but mostly it's getting the Show to pull up and display. That is, even if I call for the cam directly using "Alexa, show front door" from the time she says "OK" it takes about 10 full seconds to display. Doesn't sound like that long, but practically it is. Also while watching the cam as it's being displayed there's probably about another 10-20 second delay in what's shown vs what's happening in real time.

Not useless but not real great either. I have it on my desk and it (eventually) pops up so it's OK for knowing when I have a delivery and things like that. Maybe the new one might be faster if it has a better processor. Not sure that I'd buy one for that purpose unless I knew that it was significantly better. UI3 on a tablet is MUCH faster.
Sounds like those thinking about using the echo show could be disappointed.

Would an ordinary android tablet or an IPad be a better more versatile option for those considering this route?
 

Swampledge

Getting comfortable
Joined
Apr 9, 2021
Messages
210
Reaction score
469
Location
Connecticut
Sounds like those thinking about using the echo show could be disappointed.

Would an ordinary android tablet or an IPad be a better more versatile option for those considering this route?
I just timed my iPad at 3.4 seconds from clicking on the Home Screen to launch Chrome until the live display of my cameras came up. I did have to click on “login” to UI3; it’s set to login automatically, and it often does, but that can add 2 seconds or so, and it doesn’t always do it. I have also successfully sent notifications to my iPad. I don’t know, though, if there is any way to have BI trigger the iPad to actually open the display of a camera stream.
 

Griswalduk

Known around here
Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
2,043
Location
Uk
When i started out planning and installing my cctv system i had no idea there was "more than 1 way to skin a cat" The ideas, options and experiences of those in this thread alone are typical of what makes this a great site.

My system is only recently up and running and I'm very happy so far. While I've yet to set up tripwires, alerts, notifications, vlan's, vpn's etc i know I'll be forever tweaking due to the above reasons lol
 

Swampledge

Getting comfortable
Joined
Apr 9, 2021
Messages
210
Reaction score
469
Location
Connecticut
Surface Pro 2, 3, or 4 and you can make it do anything you can code up.
My first tablet was an iPad 2. When I outgrew it’s memory, I went to a Surface Pro 3. Liked it’s versatility, but operationally it was clunky compared to my iPad. Shortly after the warranty expired, so did the Surface Pro 3. It just plain refused to wake up or start up, no matter what technique I attempted. That left a bad taste in my mouth, so I replaced it with my current iPad Pro. I’d get another Surface Pro if money were no object, but sadly, it is.
 

pete_c

Getting comfortable
Joined
Jul 30, 2019
Messages
617
Reaction score
689
Location
Time
Here disabled the new LCDs from the cabled / wireless network and only utilize KODI. That said I have a Kodi plugin that pops up a video display overlay from the outside IP cameras.

There is nothing to see except an occasional coyote at 3 AM.

Also have automation touch screens which pop up video.

I have changed that all to just auditory chimes depending on where motion is detected via the wired outdoor Optex and geophone.

That and have ultrasonic blaster speakers (125db which do the trick). You feel the sound as it is very omnidirectional.

Tried the Amazon show devices except that they are a bit slow.

All of the above was hobby tinkering as I live in a quiet over 55 neighborhood these days.
 

Mike A.

Known around here
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
3,825
Reaction score
6,377
Sounds like those thinking about using the echo show could be disappointed.

Would an ordinary android tablet or an IPad be a better more versatile option for those considering this route?
Yes, all of the various tablets that I've tried are much faster and more flexible. For what I paid for the Show (~$35 at the time I think) it's an OK little device for what it is I suppose. Not a great solution if watching your cams is what you have planned for it though. Better ways to go for that.
 

looney2ns

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
15,521
Reaction score
22,657
Location
Evansville, In. USA
I believe Looney2ns has been showing BI on Fire Tablets for a while now, maybe via TinyCam, I can't recall.
Hey @looney2ns , you sleeping late this morning after partying until 2 AM ?
Yeppers, I was up spying on my neighborhood. ;)

I have a 2yr old Echo Show 8 that runs UI3 in the silk browser just fine.

I have two old Fire HD7's (4th gen) 16gb that are 6years old. One display's UI3 in silk, the other, uses' TinyCam Pro, my wife prefers tinycam on hers.

They run mostly 24/7, and do fine as long as you don't have anything else running or setting in background memory.
Echo Show
PXL_20210925_165701187.jpg

Fire hd7
PXL_20210925_165515001.jpg
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
11
Reaction score
6
I'm running this years Echo Show 8" and get zero lag on BI view in Silk browser. I'm not really using it for much else as I have Echo devices without screen around for music (tied to Blue Tooth speakers). Yes you might want to turn mic off during private conversations and also learn how to clear the saved historical (a feature due to privacy concerns). But since I see good performance it's hard to beat $100 for wireless viewing station, and "echo open silk" and using saved/bookmarked page for BI UI3, it's a touchclick away from camera views.
 

CCTVCam

Known around here
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
2,660
Reaction score
3,480
OK I seem to have access through the tv, but it's generating an error in UI3.

Unsure if this is the tv or UI3's fault. Here's the message displayed on my tv:

PXL_20210927_182034080.jpg
 
Top